You Are Beautiful

With the words "You are beautiful"  Bishop Mary Gray-Reeves welcomed diocesan delegates in October for the annual diocesan convention. St. Timothy's delegation was composed of lay delegates Darlene Frick, Nelson Frick, Bill Shreve and Amy Witzke, along with clergy delegates the Reverend Lisa McIndoo and the Reverend Michael Ridgway. This year's theme was "Relational Courage." At Sherwood Hall in Salinas, Friday afternoon and evening were reserved for hearings on the resolutions and a social dinner, plus awards given by Bishop Mary Gray-Reeves. Our own Holly McCullough received a "Simple Servant" award for her work with young families at the Episcopal Church in the Almaden.

St. Tim's Holly McCullough 

Saturday was reserved for the work of the diocese. The Bishop delivered her final address to the diocese as bishop.  Expanding on the theme of Relational Courage, Bishop Mary challenged us to remember that "we are the asset that we most need to develop...If we are not present, then the essence of Christianity is not present." She also spoke eloquently about the need to grow into "the church that does not yet exist."

Also on Saturday, we heard reports of various committees and voted on the budget.  We also voted on several resolutions including one that was proposed by Bill Shreve and the Sanctuary Task Force.  The resolution was written to affirm the resolution passed at last summer's General Convention that encouraged all Episcopalians and congregations to reach out to and support immigrants facing deportation. A lively hearing was held on Friday afternoon with speakers struggling to define exactly what "sanctuary" means. An amendment was offered by Bill Shreve on Saturday morning that sought to resolve some of the issues raised at the hearing.  Many in attendance expected that this resolution would cause considerable debate when it was brought to the convention floor for a vote.  In the end, however, no opposition was offered.  It passed with a simple voice vote.

Next year's convention will be presided over by Bishop Mary Gray-Reeves and our new bishop who will be elected in June 2019. Information regarding the search for a new bishop can be found here. The diocesan profile is now live here.  --Amy Phillips Witzke

Dr. Chasuble, I Presume

It was chilly this past Sunday when I walked into church. Lisa was chilly too. She was wearing a green chasuble and announced to the faithful gathered for Sunday service, "It's cold!  I'm wearing my chasuble to stay warm!" I heard a couple of people behind me say, "What's a chasuble?"

This is a chasuble:

It's the green "poncho" she is wearing. (The color will change according to the church season.) A chasuble is a liturgical vestment worn over an alb (the white robe.) It is usually put on for the celebration of the Eucharist, but can be worn for the entire service. And it can also be worn for warmth.

Episcopalians, Anglicans, Lutherans and Roman Catholics make use of the chasuble, while most other evangelical Protestant denominations do not. And most Episcopal churches that are considered "low church" (they do not use incense, candles, chanting, vestments) don't use them either.

There is a page on Facebook called the Society Against Tacky Vestments. This page calls out what their members deem to be egregious examples of vestments in spectacularly bad taste. I am sorry to report that our own Bishop Mary Gray-Reeves has been cited on this page for choices she has made. But no one has been named as often as former Presiding Bishop Katherine Jefferts Schori. In their defense, they state that many of the cited items have been given to them as gifts and they feel obligated to wear them.  

Oscar Wilde wrote a play that was first performed in 1895 called The Importance of Being Earnest. In this play there is an Anglican priest by the name of The Reverend Canon Doctor Frederick Chasuble. His calling was in his name.    --Amy Phillips Witzke

O Hear Us When We Cry to Thee

I was looking at the leaflet for the memorial service for John McCain, which will be held tomorrow at the National Cathedral in Washington, DC.  I was not at all surprised to see that Eternal Father, strong to save (#608 in our hymnal) is one of the hymns to be sung during the service. This hymn is also known as "The Navy Hymn" and has long been sung at the US Naval Academy.  McCain attended the Academy and served in the US Navy for over 20 years.  It is a hymn he would have heard and sung many times.

The lyrics were written as a poem by English choirmaster William Whiting in 1860.  Several sources I read say Whiting had survived a shipwreck and was moved to write the poem in thanks for his deliverance. In any case, it makes a good story.  The hymn's tune Melita was written by the Reverend John B. Dykes in 1861. Melita is the ancient name for Malta where the Apostle Paul was shipwrecked as reported in the Book of Acts. This hymn was sung at the funerals for John F. Kennedy and Franklin Roosevelt, and was said to have been one of the hymns played as the Titanic sank.

In 1940 three verses were added to the hymn to include travel on the land and in the air.  This hymn with the additions is listed separately as hymn #579. The 1982 Hymnal added a verse asking protection for those who travel in space--something probably not even dreamed of by Whiting. And even more verses have been written over the years honoring Marines, the Coast Guard, submariners and even loved ones left at home.

Eternal Father, strong to save, whose arm hath bound the 

restless wave, who bidd'st the mighty ocean deep its

own appointed limits keep:  O hear us when we 

cry to thee for those in peril on the sea.

O Christ, whose voice the waters heard and hushed their raging

at they word, who walkedst on the foaming deep, and

calm amid its rage didst sleep:  O hear us when we 

cry to thee for those in peril on the sea.

Most Holy Spirit, who didst brood upon the chaos

dark and rude, and bid its angry tumult cease, and

give, for wild confusion, peace: O hear us when we

cry to thee for those in peril on the sea.

O Trinity of love and power, thy children shield in

danger's hour, from rock and tempest, fire and foe, pro-

tect them where-so e'er they go; thus evermore shall

rise to thee glad hymns of praise from land and sea.  

--Amy Phillips Witzke

First Church of the Internet

Here are some of my favorite Episcopal websites--most of which are also linked to the right--------->

I love Anglicans Online. Completely independent, the site is the world's largest online Anglican resource. Updated every Sunday night, the site's cover page is an essay, sometimes humorous, sometimes serious, but always thought-provoking. The site collects links from newspapers and websites from around the globe with articles of interest to Anglicans. I scan the News Centre section each week. (You can also find links to the Book of Common Prayer in languages ranging from Afrikaans to Zulu.) This site often sends readers to Thinking Anglicans, which has many similar news resources but includes more analysis.  I find this site harder to navigate to find what I'm looking for.

I rarely look at the website for The Episcopal Church except sometimes to use it to find a specific church if Google hasn't helped. You can sign up for press releases from the Episcopal News Service.  I know I have.  Because I can never get enough news about various new job hires at The Episcopal Church offices headquartered in New York.

Closer to home is the website for our  Episcopal Diocese of El Camino Real. The site has links to all the churches within the diocese as well as information and minutes for the Standing Committee and Board of Trustees.  Lots of information about the recent General Convention.  Access this site to sign up for the weekly email newsletter from the diocese "Along the King's Highway." This newsletter will keep the diocese up-to-date regarding the bishop search process over the next year or so.

Even closer to home is the website for St. Timothy's. Here you can find info on our various ministries as well as contacts for Stephen Ministry, the vestry and the preschool. You can also sign up for the Wednesday Weekly newsletter. (If you're a woman and Facebook is one of your guilty pleasures, request to be added to the Women of St. Timothy's page.)

Episcopal Cafe is a site for essays about living within our faith as Christians. My essay "Why Not?" from this blog was published on the site a few weeks ago. I enjoy the stories from Episcopalians lay and clergy, scholars and learners from across the country.

Started right here in Silicon Valley in the early 1990s,  The Mission of St. Clare posts the complete Morning and Evening Prayer services (including hymns!) from the Book of Common Prayer for each day plus links to noonday prayer and compline in both English and Spanish. (It was named for St. Clare because, according to the website "at the time, no one had designated a patron of the Internet and...she represented the idea of prayer available anytime and anywhere the best...she was already the patron of television.")

For me, the best site that can search various translations of the Bible is here. You can also enter keywords to locate a particular Bible verse.

I've written before about the Revised Common Lectionary, the three-year cycle of scripture readings.  Vanderbilt University has a great site that explains more about the lectionary and links to each week's readings here.

And just for fun is Lent Madness. This often irreverent site, sponsored by Forward Movement, runs through Lent (which surprise, surprise overlaps with college basketball's March Madness) and pits men and women of the Communion of Saints against each other to see who will take home the Golden Halo. Winners in the past have included Florence Nightingale and Dietrich Bonhoeffer.  Bios of the saints are posted and readers vote for the most worthy among them. The comments and campaigns for candidates can be quite lively. (Ballot box stuffing has occurred, though no Russian involvement has been verified.) You can sign up for daily reminders to read and vote throughout Lent.

Of course most of these sites also have Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts. But, really, there aren't enough hours in the day. Happy reading. --Amy Phillips Witzke

Episcopally Speaking

Around the time of the royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, I heard many references to Episcopalian Bishop Michael Curry. And then this summer during General Convention, I heard announcers say, "Episcopals debated same-sex marriage rites." Episcopalian. Episcopal. What's going on here? (Other than making this word-lover's ears bleed?)

People who belong to the Methodist Church are called Methodists. People who belong to the Presbyterian Church are called Presbyterians. But people who belong to the Episcopal Church are called Episcopalians. Why? I did a considerable amount of research trying to get to the bottom of this question, and finally decided that "because that's the way it's always been done" is probably the easiest and most efficient answer. (The phrase "The Protestant Episcopal Church" has been in use since 1780.)

In any case, episcopal comes from the Latin word for bishop. We are a Church that is governed by bishops. Episcopal is the adjective. The Episcopal Hymnal, the Episcopal Diocese, Episcopal Church Women, etc. Episcopalian is the noun. I am an Episcopalian. Episcopalians debated same-sex marriage rites. Episcopalians go to an Episcopal Church. She is an Episcopalian and she is also an Episcopal priest.

These are all upper-case usages of episcopal. There are some examples of lower-case episcopal that all relate back to its Latin origins. "Under the episcopal form of governing, the churches are guided by a bishop."

We'll leave episcopacy and episcopate for another time. --Amy Phillips Witzke

Make a Joyful Noise Unto the Lord

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I remember when it was called Vacation Bible School.  The word "school," apparently was viewed negatively by a lot of kids so the name was changed to Vacation Bible Camp.  Camp is always more fun than school.  (The first VBS was held in 1894 in Illinois and lasted four weeks!)

This week 50 kids have been attending our Joyful Noise summer church camp.  Led by Teresa Peters (the "Conductor") over 20 adult volunteers and about 10 teens and preteens have kept the kids engaged from 9 am to noon.  An after-care option is also available to care for kids until 3 pm. "Most of the campers are not members of St. Tim's," said Teresa, "so I love that we are giving a positive church experience to the community."

Unlike in previous years, this year's camp is totally homegrown.  According to the Rev. Lisa McIndoo, "When I was a kid, Vacation Bible Camp meant watered-down Kool-Aid, stale crackers and a record player.  It wasn't engaging."   Working with Lisa, Teresa's team of volunteers developed this year's music-themed camp Joyful Noise. "St. Timothy's is a musical church and we worship in a musical way," said Lisa.  "What better gift than to share that with the children of the community?"

The campers begin each day in the sanctuary with songs led by Teresa, Peter Sammel and Ross Johnson.  Peter noted, "For me, using music as a tool is a very spiritual exercise."  The morning I visited, Will Watkins shared his expertise on the organ for the campers.  The children watched Will play and watched his feet on the pedals and felt the instrument's vibrations translate into joyful noise.


They then divide according to age into groups that are named for orchestral instrument families: brass, woodwind, strings, percussion.  These groups  rotate through stations where they make their own musical instruments, learn how music is created through vibration and learn some line dances led by Lisa herself.  (The snack station is also very popular.)  These groups are overseen by adult volunteers as well as St. Tim's teens and preteens, some of whom had previously been campers for many years.  Ella Nelson is a teen counselor with the kindergarten/first grade group. "The kids are so cute and I like working with the leaders."

The children gather at the end of the morning to share more songs before being sent on their way. The joyful noise continues for the rest of this week. --Amy Phillips Witzke

This Little Light of Mine

Were you at church on Sunday, July 8?  Did you see the candle in the red glass globe on the wall to Lisa's left?   The flame danced dangerously higher and higher as Lisa began preaching her sermon.  We came thisclose to tongues of fire landing on Lisa's head!  Cindy Jarvis and Allan Grimes leapt to the rescue and safely removed the candle to the sacristy.

This lamp is called an eternal or sanctuary candle.  It in theory burns continuously (except for Good Friday) to represent God's eternal presence, and that there is reserved consecrated bread and wine nearby.  The sanctuary candle derives from Jewish tradition and is known in Hebrew as a ner tamid, which means eternal light or flame.

Some churches use electric bulbs in their candles, but at St. Tim's we use oil.  Sometime prior to July 8, the wick on our candle was trimmed when it shouldn't have been, which caused the flame to come into contact with the oil thus igniting the oil.   With the fan blowing beneath the candle, the flame reached higher and higher and led to Cindy and Allan's dramatic rescue.  A new wick has been purchased and will be monitored by Cindy and the altar guild.  Cindy reports that the oil lasts between five and seven days between refillings.

Our eternal candle was purchased and installed in 2014 while Ron Griffin was rector, many years after the church was built.  Why the wait?  According to Cindy, altar guild director, "I don't know if there was ever a purposeful decision to not have one before, but as the eternal candle is meant to be positioned either at the church's entrance/narthex, or near/over the tabernacle where we would keep reserved sacrament and wine, but since we don't have a formal tabernacle, and the narthex ceiling is so high that hanging the candle and keeping it lit would be problematic, the original team handling the interior design of St. Tim's sanctuary may have opted to 'work on it later...'"

Many thanks to Cindy for providing me with the history of this candle as well as for keeping us safe and preventing Lisa's sermon from becoming one of fire and brimstone. --Amy Phillips Witzke

With Joy and With Love

My husband, Ken, died 11 years ago this past March.  He had cancer, and his death was expected.   In conversations with him, I was not surprised that he cared little as to what form his memorial service would take.  He assured me I was free to do whatever made our kids and me feel better.  I was, however, surprised that he wanted his ashes interred in the columbarium at St. Timothy's.   It was a decision that surprised me because he had only recently scattered his parents' ashes in the Fraser River in British Columbia, and I assumed he would have wanted something similar. But for reasons he never explained, he was set on the columbarium.

The word columbarium comes from the Latin word columba, which means nesting place for doves.  The catacombs, used by early Christians in ancient Rome for both refuge and burial, resembled the niches used by nesting doves.  Doves have long been a symbol of peace, the Holy Spirit and the resurrection.


The columbarium and the Patricia Westlake Sammel Memorial Garden at St. Timothy's were built in 1996 by Ed Sammel, father of Peter Sammel, in memory of his wife.  Our columbarium has space for 48 niches and can be expanded in the future. Each niche is marked with a brass plaque with birth and death dates.  There is also a plaque dedicated to those whose ashes were scattered in the Rose Garden.  The columbarium is administered by trustees headed by Peter Sammel who meet occasionally to supervise maintenance of the Garden and to update records.

The columbarium and Patricia Westlake Sammel Memorial Garden allow us to surround ourselves with the communion of saints in a setting that becomes a tangible representation of our faith in the resurrection.

I have friends living near St Tim's who have told me that they sometimes stroll through the prayer garden and pay respects to Ken and remember how easily (and loudly!) he laughed.   And two of Ken's fishing buddies stop by each October before the annual fishing trip to remember Ken and how much he loved his family.  Perhaps Ken knew that what would make us feel better was knowing that he was remembered with joy and with love. --Amy Phillips Witzke

General Convention

St Timothy's Episcopal Church belongs to the Santa Clara Deanery and the Diocese of El Camino Real.  Every three years the Episcopal dioceses meet to discuss matters facing the Church.  This year the meeting is in Austin and began meeting yesterday.   Clergy and lay (non-clergy) deputies to General Convention are elected by delegates at the diocesan level.

The convention is divided into two houses--the House of Bishops and House of Deputies.  Much like the United States Congress, legislation needs to pass both houses to become law.

Matters to be decided at this year's General Convention include issues surrounding marriage equality and revisions to the Book of Common Prayer.

This will be the first General Convention presided over by Presiding Bishop Michael Curry, who is coming off his much buzzed about sermon at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.   It will also be the last General Convention for our diocesan Bishop Mary Gray-Reeves, who is retiring next year.

You can follow the goings-on at 79th General Convention where you will find many links to various topics of discussion as well as live-streams. --Amy Phillips Witzke

Sing and Pray Twice

Paraphrasing St. Augustine, The Rev. Maly Hughes, former priest executive at St. Tim's, used to say "When you sing, you pray twice."  The St.Tim's band plays songs that get us praying twice and our hands clapping, but for me it is in the familiar hymns of the 1982 Hymnal when I feel closest to praying once, if not twice.  And when I visit a church, I feel especially welcomed when I hear the familiar notes of an old favorite.  

The website anglicansonline.org ran a poll in 2012 for the favorite hymns of Anglicans from around the world. Guide me, thou great Jehovah (#690) placed first.  (Are you as shocked as I am?  I don't know this hymn and suspect some ballot box stuffing by proud Welshmen who claim the author as their own, though the tune is instantly familiar.)  Be thou my vision (#488) and I bind myself unto thee this day (#370, and the winner for the poll's 2003 iteration) tied for second. 

While this Sunday's traditional hymn #518 Christ is made the sure foundation didn't make Anglican Online's top 10, it was sung at the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer in 1981, reportedly at Diana's request.  The hymn's lyrics were translated by John Mason Neale from a Latin monastic hymn.  Neale was born in London in 1818 and was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge.  Greatly influenced by the Anglican Church's Oxford Movement, he is best known as a hymn writer and especially a translator of ancient hymns.  He spoke 21 languages including Latin and Greek.  We sang his All glory laud and honor on Palm Sunday and O Come, O come Emmanuel during Advent. Neale died in 1866. The tune is Westminster Abbey composed by Henry Purcell.  

Sing and pray twice this Sunday.  --Amy Phillips Witzke

You've Got Mail

Who doesn't love to get mail?  Most days I am greeted by bills and flyers at my mailbox, though there is an occasional postcard from Mark in China, or a thank-you note for a kindness, but very seldom is there a letter.  Email and texts are the letters for today. But would Martin Luther King Jr.'s Letter from Birmingham Jail had as much impact if it had been written as an email?  What about the letters in our Bible?  Can you imagine the good people of Corinth gathering around the latest text from Apostle Paul?

Our Bible contains 21 letters, or epistles, in the New Testament.  Thirteen of these are attributed to the Apostle Paul.  He was busy sending advice to the new Christians in Rome, Corinth, Galatia, Ephesus, Philippi, Colossae and Thessalonica.  He also had time to send a few missives to his pals Timothy, Titus and Philomen.  And several of these epistles were written while he was imprisoned.

The other epistles are called "general" or "catholic" (note the lower-case c) epistles.  Their authorship is attributed to Peter and John, among others.

This summer, according to the Revised Common Lectionary, we are reading the epistles of Paul beginning with his second letter to Corinth and then his letter to Ephesus.  Lisa will be leading a discussion of each week's reading beginning at about 9 am.  Lisa describes Paul as an interesting fellow.  "Persecutor turned proselyte, Paul took a fledgling movement and gave it wings to fly.  Without him, Christianity may have never flourished."  She promises to start off this first week's discussion with her own homemade biscuits and possibly grits from the Grits King--Bill McIndoo.

Biblical scholars have not discovered any proof that Paul included biscuits or grits as care packages with his letters.  But the fact that Christianity did indeed flourish has me thinking there must have been a few biscuits, if not grits, included with those letters.
--Amy Phillips Witzke 

The Episcopal Church Welcomes You, but not in my pew

A couple of years ago, my sister and I spent a weekend in New York City seeing Broadway shows and a taping of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.  For Colbert, we sat in the second row, two seats in from the aisle, center stage right.  I now watch the show nearly every night to see, among other things, who is sitting in my seat.

So my eagerness to claim my same pew every Sunday shouldn't surprise anyone. Friends at St. Tim's have long teased me about my need to sit in my pew and seat--second row, two seats in from the aisle, center "stage" right.  (Or as my father would say, "gospel side.")  But when you look around, most people generally sit in the same seats each week, right?  Though, I'm probably the only one who actually frets about getting to church early enough to avoid missing out on my pew.

Pews came into use in churches after the Protestant Reformation when long sermons became central to Protestant worship.   Churchgoers wanted to hear the word of God, but sitting down.  When the Anglican Church came to America before the Revolution, churches were built with high-backed pews that often had a door to keep out drafts and undesirables (human and nonhuman.)  While churches in England were state supported, American churches needed to find other sources of income.  Selling or renting the best seats in the house became a way of raising cash for a church.   Families chose pews so they would have a good view of the service.  (Or so that others could have a good view of the family.)   Pews were often labeled with a brass plaque with the family's name, and were used by the family for several generations.  Pews could also be bought and sold at prevailing rates much like stock.  Imagine seeing the price of your pew fluctuate and guessing when to buy low and sell high.  A chart in the narthex would alert visitors to which pews were unclaimed. And woe to anyone who sat in a claimed pew.  Ushers in those days could be called upon to unwelcome a visitor.  The selling and renting of pews fell out of favor in the middle of the last century.  Because didn't Jesus say something about "...do not sit down at the place of honor...For all who exalt themselves will be humbled and and those who humble themselves will be exalted" and "Woe to you Pharisees!  For you love to have the seat of honor in the synagogues and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces"?

So don't be concerned if you see me in a different pew this Sunday.  While I don't mind being greeted with respect in the marketplaces, I'd rather not be counted among the Pharisees.  --Amy Phillips Witzke

Prayers of the Puppers

Getting up earlier on Sunday mornings for our summer combined services has not been that difficult for me.  It has, however, confused my dog.  Winston knows what time it is without looking at any clock.  His inner clock is timed to his walks.  Walking earlier on Sundays has messed with that clock.

St. Tim’s will combine the 9 am family service and the 11 am slightly-more-traditional service for most of the summer. The best of both services will be included. During the adult sermon, the children will be led into the prayer garden where they will devise their own Prayers of the People.  It has been quite illuminating the last two weeks to hear the heartfelt prayers of the children.  They are grateful for the coming of summer and no school-- perhaps more grateful than their parents.  The existence of the planet Jupiter has also gotten a shoutout.  The team is working to create space in the combined service for a balance of music styles as well.  

Will Watkins and the liturgy and worship team suggested the idea as a way to “capitalize on the enthusiasm everyone has been expressing from the joint services we’ve held over the past couple of years.”  The team also looks forward to building community by cementing relationships between the two services. 

After the service, we are encouraged to stay and share hospitality under the oak tree.  Plus, beginning on June 24, you’re invited to share breakfast before the 10 am service (beginning around 9 am) and discuss each Sunday's Epistle reading in Edwards Hall led by Rev. Lisa. 

Winston will, I’m sure, get used to the new routine quickly.  His own Prayers of the People (and Puppers) include being grateful for belly-rubs and long walks.  Jupiter, not so much. --Amy Phillips Witzke 

  

"...to the place where he knew there were valiant warriors." 2 Samuel 11:16

Back in February, I was elated when I heard the Old Testament reading appointed for Super Bowl Sunday.  I needed no other signs or portents to know that my team had to win.  The reading for that Sunday was from Isaiah and ended, “but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.”  Fly, Eagles, fly!

I went to a Super Bowl party later that day and told my host and hostess about the day’s reading.  My friend, who is Jewish, remarked, “So your pastor must be from Philadelphia?”  I didn’t understand at first.  It then dawned on me that he thought the pastor of my church had chosen that reading.

St. Timothy’s, however, like all Episcopal Churches, uses the Revised Common Lectionary (RCL).  No matter which Episcopal Church you attend in the United States, on any given Sunday you will hear the same readings.  In addition, no matter which Presbyterian, Lutheran, Methodist and more than a half dozen other denominations you attend, you will hear the same readings. The RCL is also used by the Church of England, as well as Protestant churches around the world.  The Roman Catholic Church largely follows the RCL as well. 

The RCL is a common plan for Bible readings in three-year cycles.  Each lectionary year begins the first Sunday in Advent.  We are currently in Year B of the three-year cycle.  After Year C we will begin again with the readings for Year A. We generally read an Old Testament lesson, a psalm, an epistle and a gospel lesson each Sunday.   

The lectionary was agreed to by a consultation with members from most mainstream Protestant denominations as well as the Roman Catholic Church, and has been revised over the years. This most recent lectionary was published in 1992 and officially adopted by the Episcopal Church in 2006. 

I am now scouring the Bible and RCL for references to Warriors to find if any will be read during a certain basketball tournament.  However, I do know for certain that the Bible never mentions Cavaliers.   --Amy Phillips Witzke

Why Not?

Seven-year old Kristina sat in front of me before the 11:00 service recently, wearing her alb.  I leaned forward and asked her if she knew that girls at one time were not allowed to be acolytes.  She looked puzzled more than shocked.  "Why not?" she asked.  I really had no answer other than the one that is most beloved by Episcopalians--"Because that's the way it had always been done." Bill McIndoo then added with a chuckle, "And women couldn't be priests either."

I was 12 when the rector of my church announced that there would be a class to train new acolytes.  To my surprise, he did not specify that the acolytes had to be boys; so I went to the class and became the first female acolyte at the Church of the Holy Comforter, Drexel Hill, Pa.  

That was in 1974, the same year that the Philadelphia Eleven (as the women came to be known) were ordained as priests in the Episcopal Church.  These 11 women had previously been ordained as deacons, but were denied their call to the priesthood because they were women. 

On the Feast Day of Mary and Martha, the 11 were ordained by three retired Episcopal bishops.  The three-hour ordination was punctuated by several priests who stood and read aloud condemnations of the proceedings, but in the end the ordinations were allowed to continue.  The national Church declared the Philadelphia Eleven's ordinations to be "irregular" but permitted them to stand.  It wasn't until 1976  that The Episcopal Church voted to allow women to fully participate in the life of the Church.  As Kristina said, "Why not?" --Amy Phillips Witzke